A Colorado sports nut for life, Erin Hickey takes his obsession to a new level with the best seat in the house, covering local hoops, hockey, the Rox and everything in-between scene.

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Showing entries for Category: George-Karl

Junior's growing up

1 comment

May 6, 5:41 PM

by Erin Hickey, Denver Sports Examiner

Now that the sting of another first round playoff bust has begun to fade, I’d like to take a few moments to write about one positive thing the Nuggets can take away from this season.

J.R. Smith is growing up.

Coming off a rough year which included the Knicks brawl, a dreadful playoff performance and a car accident that left a friend deceased, J.R. has made some incredible progress. His on- and off-court decision making is much improved, he's displaying tremendous effort on both ends of the court (even if his defensive game still needs some work), and most importantly, he's embracing the teachings of his coaches. As a result, he is no longer a permanent resident in George Karl's dog house, and he's developed into one of the top 6th men in the league.

He's always been able to score from anywhere on the court, but this year he's demonstrated a heightened awareness and willingness to drive to the basket when his 3-pointer isn't falling. He's now harnessing every bit of his tremendous athletic ability and, thus, taking his game to the next level.

Sure he's still inconsistent, but he's also only 22 years old, and he'll continue to improve as he matures. Now that he's disposed of his security blanket (headband), there's nowhere to go but up.

Topics: Denver , Sports , Nuggets , George Karl , JR Smith

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Comments

5 things I'd like to see from the Nuggets tonight

4 comments

April 28, 6:22 PM

1. Some heart and intensity. And not just from the bench players. I want to see a unified commitment to winning the game.2. Made layups. According to George Karl, Melo and AI went a combined 1-for-20 on layups in game 3. Surely that can't happen again?3.... Read More
Topics: Denver , Sports , Nuggets , Carmelo , Iverson , George Karl , NBA Playoff

Stumbling out of the gate

1 comment

April 21, 7:24 PM

Photo: Denver Post (Noah Graham, NBAE via Getty Images)A few thoughts on yesterday's Nuggets/Lakers game....1. Anthony Carter is a liability in this series. I like the guy... he works hard and he's unselfish. But his size creates a serious matchup problem... Read More
Topics: Denver , Sports , Nuggets , George Karl , NBA Playoff , Lakers

Who doesn’t love some playoff desperation?

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April 10, 3:23 PM

Photo: washingtonpost.comBiggest game of the year tonight… no question about it. Lose, and it’s probably safe for Melo and the gang to start scheduling their May fishing trip. Or even better, their summer defensive skills camp.Ok, so it’s... Read More
Topics: Denver , Sports , Nuggets , Carmelo , Iverson , George Karl , NBA Playoff